Fotomacher Loc: Toronto

I am travelling to Africa in September. I have a D810 body and was planning on taking my 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-D and my 300mm f/4 AF-S (in addition to wide angle lenses). I am concerned about the weight of the heavy beasts and considering buying or renting a 70-300mm f/var AF-S VR. Thoughts on expected IQ? Thanks.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

If it were me and money wasn't a primary issue (except in my actual case it would be) and you're looking for decent IQ and a decent amount of reach and relatively low weight, for the long end I'd get a Sigma 150-600 C lens. It's well worth the $900 USD or there about they're going for and for a fairly large lens, its quite light. For the low end I'd look into an 18-135 or something in that focal length range. The two lenses and body with a few accessories will easily fit into a modest size back pack. I carry my D7200 and 4 lenses, including the big Sigma C in a medium size Canon backpack.

Enjoy your trip and take some great photos...

Carl D Loc: Albemarle, NC.

I'd use a 24-70 and a 70-200. Also carry a 1.4x and 2.0x telextender. Keeps the weight and the amount of gear your carrying down.

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

You will get decent sharpness in the center but you'll see softness and CA in the corners. Make no mistake--there will be a difference. I suggest renting the lens for a day and doing some direct comparisons to see if the tradeoff works for you.

daddypud Loc: Florida

I have been to Africa a few times and would say there are a couple of situations that also come in to play and depends on your trip, if you are going on a bush type safari for say the big 5 you typically do not need a long lens 300mm in most cases is plenty and you would rarely need anything longer, saw many using 100-400 lens, the more critical thing I found was having a lens with good light capabilities as typically if on a photo safari you usually go out early in morning have free time or discussions during day and go out in early evening for second shoot of the day and you are in wooded areas , I had a 300mm f2.8 on my camera most the time do to lighting capabilities even with converter I was only at 420 mm f4, saw many with zooms and high aperature who had focus problems without turning iso way up , I ran at 200 iso and ap at 2.8 the whole time and had no issues, there were only a couple of times I wish I had a longer lens, if you go on a photo safari say on a great migration type trip than a good wide angle and a long lens is necessary and I would not go on that type of trip without a 500 or 600mm lens as you will not be happy without the length, you are also shooting in the open plains and lighting is typically not a issue so do not need the small aperature lens as much, just 1 mans opinion

MtnMan Loc: ID

I just did the trip. Brought my D800 and Nikon 200-500, and my D5300 with 28-300.

While the first rig took fabulous images I don't think I'd take it again. It got to be a drag lugging it and holding it in the safari trucks for six or more hours per day. Three weeks later and I still have pain in my shoulder.

The D5300 and 28-300 was good for the walks and really fine for everything else. Note that the 300mm is 450 equivalent on D5300. That is the right range to have. My wife did a little better with her D5300 and 18-300.

You won't want to fuss with changing lenses in the field.

I might even go for the new high zoom Nikon DL if they release it before I go again.

MtnMan Loc: ID

You need to check "quote reply" so we have some clue what you are responding to. Replies go to the bottom of the list: they do not follow what you are replying to.

MtnMan Loc: ID

BTW 300 mm with D810 isn't enough. Most of my images with D800 are at or near 500mm to fill the frame.

Occassionally you can be too close with 200 mm. You can wait and ask driver to adjust.

MtnMan Loc: ID

With the D810's awesome high ISO performance you don't need so fast a lens.

The last few days I got lazy and set the camera on M with minimum f-stop (5.6 for 200-500) and used auto ISO with minimum shutter speed of 1/500. Those images all came out great even with a D800.

I also went to mostly using center weighted metering and put the animal in center. You can have very high contrast images and want to be sure the animal is well exposed. Matrix often makes the animal too dark and spotting on the animal, partcularly if a dark one, blows out the background.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I have never been to Africa but my retired Ophthalmologist has been there 17 times to photograph. I can only pass to you his personal impressions based on what he found useful.
For general photography his 18-200 Nikon lens did a great job for him while using DX bodies and that was prior to using the 28-300 with the D750. Wildlife is another story and a 300mm lens usually will not be good enough.
Ever since he bought a Tamron 150-600 lens and he told me that is what he used for most of his wildlife photography during his last trip last year. The pictures he made were awesome.
We are talking heavy gear here so keep that into consideration.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I found I could get anything I wanted to carrying a D300 with the sigma 150-500 on it and a D5000 with the Sigma 18-250 on it.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Morrison you are close, the Sigma 150-600mm Sport is the better lens by far.
Next you'll want a Tamron 70-200mm or the like lens. The 70-300mm is not
a very god lens. Been there done that with it.
Craig

tkeegan Loc: North Texas

Good information daddypud, but FYI: this ( . ) is called a period!

JD750 Loc: SoCal

I would think that you could rent it before you go and determine for yourself if the IQ was acceptable for what you want

stan0301 Loc: Colorado

The human eye is (more or less) about 24-28mm-- I wouldn't think of traveling without a Sigma 8-16 (which will work fine on your 810)
Stan